Will Set Up 12 Special Courts for Speedy Trials of MPs, MLAs: Govt to Supreme Court

The government has informed a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the scheme for establishing special court was ready. A total of twelve special courts will be set up across the country to adjudicate 1571 criminal cases pending against lawmakers.

The Supreme Court had earlier questioned the willingness of the Centre to speed up trials of lawmakers. It had sought a status of the pending cases, apart from their mandate to set up special courts.

New Delhi: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it will set up twelve special courts to speed up trials of MPs and MLAs in the country.

Following a nudge by the court, the government has informed a bench led by Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the scheme for establishing special court was ready. A total of twelve special courts will be set up across the country to adjudicate 1571 criminal cases pending against lawmakers.

According to data submitted in the Court by NGO Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), affidavits filed by politicians at the time of submitting nomination papers for 2014 general election and Assembly polls had disclosed 1,581 cases were pending against politicians. Ten cases were later dropped due to death of the politicians concerned.

The government, submitting its affidavit on Tuesday, said that at present twelve courts were being set up for one year and further decisions regarding requirement of additional courts will be taken in due course.

It also sought some more time to compile nationwide data on pendency of criminal cases against elected representatives as on date. Quarterly reports will be submitted in the top court, said the affidavit, adding it would also apprise the court as to how many criminal cases have been disposed of in one year.

It was last month when the court had questioned the willingness of the Centre to speed up trials of lawmakers. It had sought a status of the pending cases, apart from their mandate to set up special courts.

It has been hearing a PIL by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay, who has emphasised upon decriminalisation of politics and weeding out criminal elements. The SC will now take up the matter on Thursday.